Manifold



A. J. CANOVA.

Jan. 23, 1923;

MANIFOLD- FILED JULY 26. 1919.

Ambmb Q]: Cmrwwd INVENTOR ATTORNEY that ANTONIO J. CANOVA, OF WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA.

IVIANIJEOLD.

Application filed July 26, 1919. Serial No. 313,491.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANToNIo J. UANovA, a citizen of-the United States, residing at West Palm Beach, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Manifolds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to internal combustion engines, and has for an object to provide an improved manifold embodylng a rotatable member constructed of foraminous material and located at the branches of the manifold to thoroughly atomize liquld fuel before the same isi permitted to enter the cylinders, and whereby the member may be rotated to expose its filtering surface to the cylinders so that its surface may be sub jected to the suction of the engine for the purpose of cleaning said surface of accumulated particles.

In addition to the foregoing, th1s 1nven tion comprehends improvements in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims. In the accompanying drawings in wh ch similar and corresponding parts are designated by the same character of reference throughout the several views in which they appear.

Figure 1 is a view in front elevatlon of a manifold embodying my improvement and Figures 2 and 3 are vertical sections taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, and 3-43 of Fi ure 2 respectively.

, With reference to the drawings, 10 indicates the vertical arm of a manifold of conventional type, and 11 the branches extending horizontally therefrom. At the juncture of the arm 10 and the branches 11 I provide a raised flange 12 surrounding an opening 13 in the front face of the manifold. Tnteriorly of the manifold I provide three converging ribs indicated at 14: which are arranged in uniformly spaced relatlon.

. Formed upon the inner face of the rear wall of the manifold is an annular flange 15 for a purpose to be presently noted. Inserted in the opening of the manifold is a tapering cage 16 which is in the form ofa frustoconical hollow member closed at its smaller end as at 17 and threaded at its opposite end to receive a plug 18, the latter having an integrally formed stem 19 extending therethrough which enters an opening in the end wall 17 and is reduced as at 19 and extended through an opening in the rear wall of. the manifold. A coiled spring 20 is embraced about the reduced portion 19 and a jam nut 21 is then applied to the reduced portion to bear against the spring whereby the cage will be resiliently held in place. The opposite end of the stem 19 is enlarged to form a front piece 22. The wall of the cage 16 is cut away at three points as indicated at 23, defining longitudinal connecting portions 24. The openings 23 are covered by means of sheet of foraminous material 25 of very fine mesh which is applied to the inner surface of'the cage 16 and held in place by means of a strip of coarse wire fabric 26. It will be noted when the cage is in place that the smaller end thereof is adapted to be seated within the flange 15 which thus acts as a guide. v

The arm 10 of the manifold is tapped to permit the insertion of a plug or coupling 27 forming a connection with a tube 28 which leads from a tank. The tank indicated at .29 may be of glass and provided with a central partition 30 defining two sides, one to hold gasoline and the other to hold water. The tube .28 is connected by means of a stop cook 31 with the gasoline containing compartment. Each. of the branches 11 it will be observed is tapped to permit insertion therein of couplings 32 which are joined together by means of a tube 33 one of said couplings being connected to a tube 34 which leads, from the water containing compartment of the tank 29. A stop cock 35 is provided in said tube 3 1 to control the fluid therein. It will also be observed that the lower portion of each branch 11 of the manifold is formed with'a bulged out part 36, forming a pocket on the inside of the manifold located directly beneath the plugs 32 whereby to receive water which may be admitted through the couplings 32, the water thus slowly vaporizing and mixing withthe fuel vapor. The pipe 10 is connected to a carbureter, designed to employ kerosene as fuel for operation of the engine, the latter being however started with a priming fluid such as gasoline.

In operation, and when starting the engine a small quantity of priming fluid is admitted through the tube 28 into the lower arm of the manifold will be drawn through the manifold, the latter being connected to a kerosene carburetor. so that the fluid together with the requisite proportion of kerosene and air up through one of the openings 23 of the cage 16 and thence passing through said cage effecting an exit therefromthrough the opposite openings 23 into the branches 11 of the manifold. The V1 por is thus compelled to pass through four thicknesses of foraminous material, first a fine and then a coarse thickness, and subseqnently a coarse thickness and finally a finer thickness. It will be apparent that the sides of the mesh of the foraminous material may be varied to suit requirement, although I do not employ any coarser than 80 mesh to the square inch. In the event that the screen facing the lower arm 10 of the manifold should become clogged with dirt, the device may be rendered self-cleansing by merely pulling upon the front piece 22 to slightly dislodge the cage against the tension of the spring 20, whereupon the cage is rotated so as to dispose the clogged surface of the screen within one of the arms 11 of the manifold. The suction of the engine will then draw the dirt from the screen through the manifold into theengine where it will be consumed. In order that the cage may be properly centralized at all times I provide a plurality of notches 37 in the flange 12 of the manifold and also a lug 38 upon the larger end of the cage which lug is adapted to be seated in any one of the notches 37.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have provided a means whereby kerosene may be utilized as fuel without the ne cessity of preheating the kerosene before use as in devices for a similar purpose heretofore provided. It will also be apparent that I have provided a device which may be rendered self-cleaning, thus overcoming the objections of other fuel vaporizing devices which are rendered useless when once clogged with dirt. Attention is called to the fact that the object of this invention is not to filter the fuel vapor so as to prevent the entrance of dust into the engine. The prime object is to keep the vaporizing screen free from dust nd it is immaterial, for the purposes of this invention what disposal is made of the accumulated dust so long as the screen can be rendered clean at all times, thus insuring the proper vaporization of the fuel. Other uses and advantages will readily occur to those familiar with the art to which this invention appertains.

lVhile I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practise various alterations therein may be made. I therefore reserve the right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction or otherwise altering the arrangement of the correlated parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a manifold having branch arms, and an opening at the juncture of said arms. a cage mounted in said opening for rotatable adjustment. a plug closing said opening and a lining of foraminous material for said cage whereby vapor passing from one branch to another is compelled to traverse the lining.

2. In a manifold having branches. and an opening at the juncture of the branches. a tapering cage mounted in said opening. a plug closing said opening. resilient means for securing the cage in place whereby the cage may be slightly dislodged against the tension of said resilient means to permit rotatable adjustment of said cage, and a lining of foraminous material for said cage.

In a manifold having branches and an opening at the juncture of said branches, a plurality of ribs uniformly spaced within the manifold, arranged around the opening to form seats, a cage mounted in said opening having a plurality of uniformly spaced openings formed therein defining strips to engage the seats, a plug closing said opening and a lining of foraminous material covering the openings of the cage.

4. In a manifold having branch arms an opening at the juncture of said arms, a plurality of converging ribs arranged around said opening and within the manifold to form seats, a frusto-conical cage having a plurality of uniformly arranged opening; in its side wall defining longitudinal strips whereby when the cage is entered into the opening of the manifold the strips will contact with the seats, a plug forming partof the to close said opening, a lining of foraminous material for said cage covering the openings thereof, and resilient means for securing the. cage in place adapted to permit (.lislodgment thereof to permit rotation of the cage.

5. In a manifold having intake arms and branch arms extending therefrom, a cage rotatably mounted at the juncture of said arms, a lining of foraminous material for said cage whereby vapor passing from one branch to another or from one arm to the branches is compelled to pass through the cage and the lining thereof, said cage being rotatable to present any one of its surfaces opposite any one of the branches or arms of the manifold, and means for locking the cage in place subsequent to adjustment.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANTONIO J. CANOVA.

IVitnesses WM. ZEAMAN, G. PETUNO. 

